title: CD4+ T cell subsets and Tax expression in HTLV-1 associated diseases.
abstract: Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection displays variable clinical manifestations. These include inflammatory diseases such as HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM) or immunosuppressive conditions such as Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection. The viral protein, Tax causes activation and proliferation of T cells. We hypothesize that the expression of Tax in T cell subsets characterizes the clinical manifestations of HTLV-1. To test this hypothesis, we measured T helper 1 effector cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) among Tax expressing lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 32 HTLV-1 infected patients with HAM, with S. stercoralis co-infection or with asymptomatic infection. We observed increased ratios of Th1/Treg among Tax expressing lymphocytes in HAM patients. These data suggest that the expression of Tax among the different target cells may explain the variable presentation of HTLV-1.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana, Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Risco
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Yuetsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotuzzo
authors.forename: A Clinton
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016356:Gene Products, tax; C514970:tax protein, Human T-lymphotrophic virus 1